What typically triggers the occurrence of Virga?

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Virga occurs when precipitation falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground. This phenomenon is typically triggered when water droplets or ice crystals descend into an area with low humidity levels, causing the precipitation to evaporate into the surrounding dry air. As the rain or snow falls, it encounters drier air, which results in a temperature and pressure difference that facilitates evaporation.

In this context, while low humidity levels and high atmospheric pressure can contribute to the conditions for virga, it is the process of precipitation occurring in dry air that is the most direct trigger. The presence of cold fronts may also create the initial conditions for precipitation, but it does not specifically cause virga to occur. Therefore, precipitation in dry air is the correct response because it is the key factor that leads to the evaporation of falling precipitation before it can reach the ground.

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